Sleepless Empire
, the tenth studio album from iconic Italian gothic metallers
Lacuna Coil
, is the long-awaited follow-up to 2019's
Black Anima
. Inspired musically by working on
Comalies XX
, the 20th anniversary re-recording of their classic 2002 album, and lyrically by the omnipresent dystopia of social media, it retains the brutal heaviness of contemporaneous releases without sacrificing the highly melodic choruses and flashes of ethereality from
Cristina Scabbia
that have always been at the core of their sound. Produced once again by bassist
Marco Coti Zelati
, the album features guest vocals from
Ash Costello
(
New Years Day
) and
Randy Blythe
Lamb of God
) and includes the singles "Oxygen" and "I Wish You Were Dead." It's a monstrous return for the band, with the towering, synth-laden "Scarecrow" and "Gravity" -- elevated by a dramatic choir, swelling strings, and digital creep -- standing out as highlights. ~ TiVo Staff